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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30033078">Coming Home</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ayleid/pseuds/Laytenn'>Laytenn (Ayleid)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Oathkeepers [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Final Fantasy XIV</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fluff and Smut, M/M, Romance, Romantic Fluff, Secret Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 00:21:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,778</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30033078</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ayleid/pseuds/Laytenn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Aymeric has a guest in the middle of the night. After five years of separation, Etienne had come back and this is their first night together. No interruptions, no politics, just them. Timeline: Heavensward, unofficial return from the Churning Mists.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aymeric de Borel/Warrior of Light</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Oathkeepers [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2132031</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Coming Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Since this piece was stretching too long, I decided to divide into two parts. Part one has the night of arrival, part two is the following morning.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>There was a rustling, then the creak of a window being pushed open. Under the heavy duvets, Aymeric’s eyes opened and he reached for the double barrelled magitek pistol in quiet, locating it swiftly from above his head. To think he might have to use it… he had to admit the genius behind Lucia’s gift. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A heavy, metallic thud of boots hit the polished floors which was followed by the intruder closing the windows shut, and clearing his voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the realization hit him, the pistol fell from Aymeric’s fingers and he was already out of his bed by the time the man took but a single step. Wearing a simple white tunic which was tied by the waist, Aymeric looked a sharp contrast to Etienne’s fully armored figure. The way he smiled and accepted the knight into his arms spoke of his longing, his reply to a letter Aymeric sent so long ago.</span>
</p><p><em><span>He is here.</span></em> <em><span>He has returned.</span></em></p><p>
  <span>“How? How is this…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The paladin simply gestured with a thumb towards the machine flickering outside the window. Up until now, Aymeric hadn’t noticed it. “Manacutter.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His surprise apparent, the Lord Commander shook his head in disbelief, “they will come see…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, they won’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not a soul can enter these chambers without--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I can,” Etienne’s armoured fingers caressed and held his shoulders firm, and the astonishment of his beloved seemed to amuse him. “It is only me and Estinien in possession of these aircrafts, love. And as far as I know, Estinien had scarce any reason to pay you a visit so late in the night.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bold to a fault and a fool in love,” Aymeric let his eyes close as the man let their foreheads touch in a peaceful, loving gesture while a hand came up to cup the commander’s jaw. “Eti.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sound of his name left a wave of longing in its wake, washing through like a force from within calling for the man’s touch, his skin on his own, breath on his own. It hadn’t taken long before Etienne leant in and united their gazes, ocean blue melting in the azure sky. And then, their lips met in a gentle, light touch which grew tight and demanding within a few moments. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aymeric reached up and embraced the paladin’s shoulder to pull him flush against his figure, the man himself hugging his lean waist close. Their kiss had their breaths short, cheeks flushed and eyes devouring one another upon parting, when Aymeric realized he had to get Etienne out of the armor plates somehow. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gloves first,” he mumbled under his breath, and the man nodded in reply. With the two of them profoundly familiar with armors they made short work of the disassembly process. Buckles, clips and chainmail parted swiftly from Etienne’s lean figure albeit Aymeric saw how the paladin had a slightly stronger, bulkier build than him simply by being out in the field and living the life of a warrior. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His fingers fumbled for the hems of Etienne’s thick linen shirt, pulling it over the man’s head and already embracing his shoulders and neck in a tight hold. In the confining silence and dark of the night, Etienne returned the firm lock of the other’s grip with wounding his own arms around Aymeric’s middle, pulling their bodies flush. His skin quickly responded to the cold air, every inch of him prickling with goosebumps upon touching and pressing against the other. Their kiss continued on, and he soon felt Aymeric’s fingers gripping at the nape of his neck, pulling on his short black hair but pressing him close nonetheless. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sensation and what it meant ignited his lower abdomen and Etienne’s arms moved on their own, lifting the other by his waist and beginning to carry him towards the bed. Responding to him in an instant, Aymeric held his face in both of his hands to claim his lips in a deep, demanding kiss. He would not divert his attention to anyone, anything. Only Aymeric existed, and even though his knees already bumped into the edge of the bed Etienne would not release his beloved knight from his hold, not when their figures were so tightly together, skin on skin, scar against lean muscle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His heart beat frantically under his ribs and Etienne could feel Aymeric’s own hammering a similar tune of rush and lust finally unraveling between them. The heat in his lower abdomen grew only hotter as he let the other down and gently pushed on his chest to make him sit. Aymeric’s hands were on him instantly, caressing his middle with nothing but pure adoration in his eyes. His fingers traced the scorch marks, the scars and hardened skin around Etienne’s waist, and the paladin could barely hold his composure when he saw the knight bite his lower lip, unaware in doing so while his azure gaze devoured the sight in front of him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A needy, deeply seated ache compelled him to lean in and hold Aymeric’s face in both of his hands, kissing him deeply as if it would be the first time in five torturously long years. Their lips pressed against each other and Etienne felt his body come alive by the other’s touches all around his middle, playing with the hem of his pants. He had a different idea, though.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He longed to explore Aymeric’s body, every inch of it and kiss him until dawn, until they would drift to sleep but there was another dark, burning need inside him. Heat crashed through Etienne’s senses as the idea and all what it entailed encompassed his mind. He sank to his knees and swatted Aymeric’s hands away when the man tried to hug him close. Instead, Etienne grabbed on the other’s pants firmly and tugged the hems down in the back, drawing a surprised gasp from the man, dripping with pleasure. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The realization hit Aymeric a moment later and the knight drew a hand up to hide his mouth in embarrassment, “you don’t intend to…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slowly, teasingly Etienne circled the front with his thumbs and gave a kiss on Aymeric’s abdomen. Humming his response into the other’s skin, he felt fingers in his hair, massaging his scalp and holding his head in place. “Shh, let me take care of you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Etienne…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With another long kiss into the warm skin in front of him, the man drew a long inhale to allow Aymeric’s scent fuel his daze of lust. “I’m here, love.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He could smell the knight’s musk in the air, so close to his abdomen and crotch it was impossible not to. Again, he pressed his lips against the white skin and inhaled the smell of mint and a tang of sweat, feeling a slight tremble run through the man in front of him. With slow yet purposeful motions he palmed and pressed on Aymeric’s cock through the pants and hearing the other’s moans of lust, fingers hungrily tightening in his hair, Etienne smiled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wet his lips and gently bit down on the man’s hip, licking the spot right after and felt pleasure rock through him as the knight reflexively pushed his head forward, locking him in place against his waist. Etienne’s palm never stopped pressing hotly, never stopped the massage on him and as his lips kissed their way closer to the hems of his pants, Aymeric felt the muscles in his abdomen tighten. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Etienne peeled the edge of his pants away from him, Aymeric barely remembered squirming a little to get it off completely. He had no time to recover, Etienne’s hands were on him already, one hand holding his waist in place by pressing his fingers into his flesh firmly while the other…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aymeric dared not look. No other person had ever touched or seen him there before. It had always been himself and the man in front of him, and the sensations were too much to bear to open his eyes. Etienne had purpose in his moves, and although first he simply held Aymeric’s cock firmly and angled it so that he could lap up his length and take him into his mouth. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His fingers tightened impossibly on the man’s scalp, pressing him forward unintentionally but Etienne obliged nonetheless while all Aymeric could do was hold on to the man for his life and release a moan of pure pleasure. The hot wetness engulfing his senses was almost unbearable, almost, and he pressed his eyes shut not to give in to the beckoning of release right away. Etienne’s tongue rubbed against his shaft as the man worked his length deeper into his mouth, humming his own pleasure in doing so. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Desire flooded through him as Etienne began to work his mouth around Aymeric’s length, his other hand now allowing the man to shift his weight. Soon his fingers moved to caress his hips, his thighs and the sensitive skin at the base of his cock and when he finally tasted a salty tang, Etienne let out a content, nasal hum. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please,” Aymeric could barely open his eyes, let alone feel anything else than pleasure and hotness all around him. It was just too much, and he moaned like he had never before in small, deep gasps of exhales. The mere thought that it was Etienne doing all this to him stirred an ache in his chest, and he pressed a kiss into the man’s hair. A twitch in his lower abdomen, an involuntary shift in his thighs, and he could scarcely believe it was Etienne who took all control away from him with his sensuous attention. In an urge to thrust with his hips, Aymeric leaned forward and firmly hugged Etienne’s head close to his middle, careful of his ears now wound tight in his hold. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He would never release this man ever again, never leave his side even if the world would fall apart around them. He swore on Halone, the Fury, the stars and all saints, just let him have Etienne.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He felt the paladin’s left hand again on his hip to stabilize himself while the man took what he gave and hummed in pleasure. His throat opened to allow Aymeric’s cock further in and with a sharp inhale through his nose Etienne also swallowed around him, drawing another moan from Aymeric’s lips. It was too much, but he had never felt more alive in his life. Aymeric felt his cock pulse and swell, and he relented his hold when Etienne pushed on his hips and collected the salty liquid from the tip on his length with his tongue before licking his entire shaft once more. Right after, he resumed sucking on the overly sensitive head with his mouth again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His thighs twitched, and Aymeric felt them move on their own in such a tight, sharp thrust that all he could do was clutch at Etienne’s scalp and hair again. He grunted as his dick pulsed and for a moment Aymeric felt the whole world come to a full stop. Time and space stilled for his sake, all thoughts left his mind in an all-encompassing white eruption behind his eyes. With small grunts and sighs for air, Etienne tried to pull away but could not from Aymeric’s iron tight hold. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wetness flooded his mouth, and his lover’s cock continued to twitch a few times between his lips while Etienne swallowed and licked what would be left of his lover’s release. He cleaned the tip first, moving on to the length with warm, delicate strokes of his tongue. Finally he felt the knight’s arms release around his hair and neck when he let go of his cock and hugged the man’s middle, burying his face into his waist to kiss the warm skin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aymeric all but slumped back into his bed and gasped, moaned in hushed inhales of air while Etienne stood and removed his pants before climbing in beside him. As the world gradually returned to him, Aymeric allowed his heart to slow its frantic pace. The knight’s heart still raced in his chest and yet when the cool air reached his spent cock he reached for his blanket to cover himself. His moves were interrupted by his lover gently taking the blanket from his hand and pulling it over them both, now settling tightly flush next to him, even putting one leg over Aymeric’s middle and holding himself up on his side. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Azure eyes regarded him with satisfaction and adoration, and soon Etienne leant in to kiss him again. The haste and hunger was gone from before, and Aymeric reached up to caress the man’s cheek, his ear and the nape of his neck with lazy, loving strokes. After all, they had all the time in the world and there was nothing else on his mind but Etienne’s scent, his skin against his own and the warmth they shared. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Moments later he felt Etienne’s lips curl, and he soon noticed that the other was smirking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You…” Aymeric whispered against his lips, fingers running through Etienne’s hair. His breathing still shallow and quick, he needed a second to collect his thoughts. “You made a mess… of me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As his reply, Etienne kissed him firmly before murmuring, “good.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Had he been a few inches away, Aymeric might have not heard him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What… are you smiling at?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With loving nudges at his nose with his own, Etienne placed a warm kiss on Aymeric’s forehead. “I’m happy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For a time, either of them spoke and let their touches and shared warmth gradually slow their heartbeats. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can scarcely believe this…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Voice barely above a whisper, Etienne lipsed his answer into Aymeric’s temple, “neither do I.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A small sigh left him as the world finally seemed to slow to a pace to their liking, and Aymeric welcomed Etienne’s form into his embrace. The paladin gently sank halfway on top of him, his face buried into the other’s neck as he preferred it back then, five years ago, and his arm seemed to instinctively move to hug Aymeric’s shoulder from one side and caress the soft skin under his ear with the other, free hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Closing his eyes, Aymeric let the scent of Etienne’s hair fill his senses along with the warm weight of his lover. His breath on his skin, his barely there, gentle touches. A long forgotten, familiar need blossomed in his chest and Aymeric wound his arms tight around Etienne’s middle and back, holding him close. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Five years. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Five torturously long years. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His heartbeat growing forceful, the man let a slightly trembling breath escape through his nose and let his lover shift slightly for a more comfortable position. Etienne freed his arm from underneath Aymeric’s right side and moved to his side but not before he would kiss his lover firmly, as if making sure he was content as well. </span>
</p><p>
  <span> “I’m not letting you leave,” he murmured into Etienne’s smile, moving a hand to caress his face and swipe his thumb across his chin. His own eyes reflecting the bliss encompassing his mind, Aymeric gently pulled his lover into a kiss. “I’m not letting you go, ever again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Suits me,” Etienne hummed, as he settled down again and even as exhaustion seemed to overtake him in gradually stronger waves he still struggled to keep his eyes open. Aymeric shifted so he could slide his fingers into the man’s short hair and caress the underside of his ear, the touch pulling at his heart with a sweet ache which also made his vision blur as emotion welled in his eyes. Etienne was right in front of him, and they were together again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His throat constricted as the ache spread from his chest and once more, Aymeric felt the need to gather his lover into his arms since even just the few inches between them seemed too much. His body, his heart urged him to move and pull Etienne back into his arms and so he did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peace had finally found them for the night. Their foreheads only inches from one another, their fingers idly caressing whatever skin they would find on the other. As the minutes grew into an hour, Etienne’s mind sank deeper in this blissful state and he dreamed with his heart warmly, contently beating in his chest. He dreamed of staying like this forever, denying reality and the coming morning, only letting Aymeric’s scent, skin and touches to exist in his mind. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After five years, Etienne had finally slept and did not fret, for the dream would go on without him clinging to it. As the morning would arrive, he would wake to find Aymeric still there by his side. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment if you liked it, feedback fuels my writing juice.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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